PS3 Firmware 2.30 in April; required for new PlayStation Store

269w ago - Update: Sony has officially confirmed that the new PlayStation Store interface will also be coming to North America in mid-April.

To quote: Customers will be able to access, browse, shop and download content as usual prior to the store's re-opening. However, no additional downloadable content will be posted prior to then, including this Thursday, April 3rd, and next Thursday, April 10th.

Regularly scheduled content updates will resume with the Store's re-opening, at which time additional games and game-related items will be added, including the downloadable version of the highly-anticipated exclusive PS3 title Gran Turismo 5 Prologue.

Sony has released 3 sample images of the new design for the PlayStation store and said that "Content will be suspended for two weeks while the improvements are carried out but users can look forward to a special update in mid-April."

Sony has also reportedly told the media that the PlayStation Store face lift on PS3 will no longer use the PS3 Web browser, and will require new firmware upgrade version 2.30. The facelift is said to be much faster and cache all images correctly.

Sony has yet to confirm the facelift release date for North America.